Giving Compass' Take:
- At Forbes, 11 experts give their take on improving nonprofit communication between departments for a more positive, effective work environment.
- How has the pandemic presented new difficulties in nonprofit communication? What can we do to make sure our organizations run through the voices and platforms of the communities we hope to serve?
- Read about how effective nonprofit communication is key to donor retention.
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Nonprofits function best when all of the departments are working seamlessly with one another to achieve the organization’s goals. Unfortunately, any organization, no matter its size, has to deal with poor communication, inevitably leading to organizational silos and isolated departments or teams.
This isolation of departments could be disastrous for a nonprofit, leading to difficulty in internal and external messaging and preventing the organization from achieving its goals. To help, 11 professionals from Forbes Nonprofit Council look at the most effective tactics for breaking down these organizational silos and increasing communication.
1. Practice What You Preach
It is easy to work in silos and manage down, but the nature of nonprofit is the humanitarian aspect of the role.
2. Ask The Right Questions
Connecting the dots on daily work and strategic goals can be a game-changer.
3. Focus On Building Trust
Allowing autonomy and being receptive of thoughts and ideas can lead to more creativity.
4. Develop A Shared Culture
A clear vision provides direction for the target mission.
5. Lead With Empathy And Transparency
Communication without any true sense of empathy creates an environment of insecurity.
6. Host Regular Cross-Department Meetings
Leaders should host regularly scheduled cross-department meetings to encourage collaboration and communication across the organization.
7. Involve Your Team More
8. Create A Council
This gives nonprofit leaders a group of staff members with various perspectives to engage with in organization-wide problem solving through shared context and vision.
9. Communicate And Connect Consistently
Physical separation has raised the necessity for consistent communication—a key tenet to ensuring employees feel connected.
10. Clearly Define Roles And Responsibilities
Having a clear definition of roles and responsibilities is key to ensuring accountability and the execution of key initiatives.
11. Cultivate Formal And Informal Strategies
Read the full article about improving nonprofit communication at Forbes.